Lockdown Protocol

The AMD Ryzen 9 9900X and Intel Arc B580 combination delivers a playable experience in Lockdown Protocol at 1080p and 1440p, but only the Low preset at 4K clears the 60 FPS threshold. The data shows a system that is heavily GPU-limited at higher resolutions, while the 12-core processor provides enough headroom to push high frame rates at lower settings.

FAQ

Q: What is the best preset for 1080p gaming in Lockdown Protocol?

A: The Ultra preset is the most demanding option that remains at or above 60 FPS at 1920x1080, with an average of 72 FPS.

Q: Can this PC run Lockdown Protocol at 1440p?

A: Yes, three presets are playable at 2560x1440: High (70 FPS), Medium (80 FPS), and Low (113 FPS). The Ultra preset drops to 52 FPS, which is below the 60 FPS threshold.

Q: Does the system handle 4K resolution at all?

A: At 3840x2160, only the Low preset reaches playable performance with 73 FPS average. Medium (52 FPS), High (45 FPS), and Ultra (34 FPS) all fall below 60 FPS.

Q: How does the CPU compare to its nearest rivals in synthetic benchmarks?

A: The Ryzen 9 9900X scores 57,498 in average benchmarks, which is roughly 0.1% behind the AMD EPYC 9015 (57,555) and 0.2% ahead of the AMD EPYC 7313 (57,399). It trails the Intel Core i9-14900 (58,115) by about 1.1%.

Q: What is the GPU's benchmark position relative to other graphics cards?

A: The Intel Arc B580 holds a 68th percentile ranking among all GPUs. Its average benchmark score of 23,021 is nearly identical to the AMD Radeon RX 580 2048SP (23,061, -0.2%), and it sits about 0.6% ahead of the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2080 (22,895).

Q: How does this combo rank among all tested configurations?

A: The combination ranks 2,795 out of 3,714 total combos tested in Lockdown Protocol, placing it in the lower quarter of all tested systems.

Best Settings per Resolution

At 1920x1080, the Ultra preset is the optimal choice for visual quality while maintaining playability. The measured average of 72 FPS at Ultra provides a comfortable margin above the 60 FPS threshold, with the Medium preset offering a more substantial cushion at 109 FPS and the Low preset reaching 154 FPS.

For 2560x1440, the High preset represents the best balance of fidelity and performance. The data records 70 FPS average at High settings, which clears the playable threshold by 10 FPS. The Medium preset runs at 80 FPS and Low at 113 FPS, but neither offers the same visual quality as High. The Ultra preset at 52 FPS fails to meet the 60 FPS requirement.

At 3840x2160, the only viable option is the Low preset, delivering 73 FPS average. Every other preset falls short: Medium manages 52 FPS, High drops to 45 FPS, and Ultra reaches just 34 FPS. Users seeking 4K resolution must accept reduced visual settings to maintain smooth gameplay.

CPU and GPU Roles

The performance scaling across resolutions reveals a clear GPU-centric bottleneck in Lockdown Protocol. At 1080p Low, the system produces 154 FPS, which drops to 113 FPS at 1440p Low and 73 FPS at 4K Low — a 53% reduction from 1080p to 4K at the same settings. This pattern holds across all presets, indicating the Arc B580 is the limiting factor.

The CPU's role becomes more apparent at lower resolutions and settings. At 1080p Low, the Ryzen 9 9900X's multi-threaded capabilities (32,172 in Cinebench R23 multi-core) allow the GPU to operate near its maximum. The single-thread score of 2,253 in Cinebench R23 suggests adequate per-core performance for the game's logic. However, as resolution increases, the GPU workload expands, and the CPU's contribution diminishes relative to the overall frame time.

The transition from Ultra to Low settings at each resolution shows the GPU's scaling efficiency. At 1080p, going from Ultra (72 FPS) to Low (154 FPS) more than doubles the frame rate. At 1440p, the same transition yields 52 to 113 FPS, and at 4K it produces 34 to 73 FPS. These proportional gains indicate the GPU is the primary constraint, with the CPU providing consistent support across all settings.

How This Combo Ranks

The combination lands at position 2,795 out of 3,714 tested combos in Lockdown Protocol, placing it in the 25th percentile of all systems evaluated. This ranking reflects the Arc B580's mid-tier position (68th percentile among GPUs) paired with a top-tier CPU (92nd percentile among processors). The discrepancy between component percentiles and combo ranking suggests the game is predominantly GPU-bound.

Given the CPU's strong benchmark scores — including a 92nd percentile ranking and an average score of 57,498 — the combo's lower overall rank stems from the GPU's performance ceiling. The Arc B580's 68th percentile and 23,021 average benchmark score align more closely with the combo's modest position. In practical terms, this means the Ryzen 9 9900X is capable of driving significantly more powerful graphics cards, but the B580 restricts the system's full potential.

Similar Performance Alternatives

The CPU's nearest rivals in average benchmark score are the AMD EPYC 9015 (57,555, 0.1% higher), AMD EPYC 7313 (57,399, 0.2% lower), Intel Core i9-14900 (58,115, 1.1% higher), and Intel Xeon Platinum 8260M (58,323, 1.4% higher). These processors would deliver nearly identical performance in Lockdown Protocol, as the differences fall within a narrow 1.5% band.

For the GPU, the closest matches are the AMD Radeon RX 580 2048SP (23,061, 0.2% higher), NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2080 (22,895, 0.6% lower), NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080 (23,172, 0.7% higher), and NVIDIA P106-100 (23,249, 1.0% higher). Users with any of these graphics cards would expect comparable frame rates in this game, as the benchmark scores cluster tightly around 23,000.

The combination of a high-end CPU with any of these equivalent GPUs would produce similar results. The bottleneck remains the graphics card, so upgrading to a faster GPU would yield more significant gains than swapping to a rival processor within this performance tier.

The Verdict

This PC can run Lockdown Protocol at 1080p and 1440p with playable settings. At 1920x1080, all four presets — Low (154 FPS), Medium (109 FPS), High (95 FPS), and Ultra (72 FPS) — exceed the 60 FPS threshold. At 2560x1440, High (70 FPS), Medium (80 FPS), and Low (113 FPS) are playable, while Ultra (52 FPS) falls short.

The system also handles 4K gaming, but only at the Low preset (73 FPS). Medium (52 FPS), High (45 FPS), and Ultra (34 FPS) at 3840x2160 all fail to reach 60 FPS. The Arc B580's 12 GB of GDDR6 memory and 456.0 GB/s bandwidth provide sufficient resources for lower settings at 4K, but the GPU's raw compute power limits higher presets.

For owners of this configuration, the practical sweet spot is 1440p High or 1080p Ultra. The Ryzen 9 9900X ensures the system never feels CPU-limited, but the B580's performance ceiling becomes apparent above 1080p. Players prioritizing smooth frame rates over visual fidelity can still enjoy 4K with reduced settings.

Measured FPS Breakdown

1920x1080:

• Low: 154 FPS average
• Medium: 109 FPS average, 93 FPS minimum, 126 FPS maximum
• High: 95 FPS average
• Ultra: 72 FPS average

2560x1440:

• Low: 113 FPS average
• Medium: 80 FPS average, 68 FPS minimum, 92 FPS maximum
• High: 70 FPS average
• Ultra: 52 FPS average

3840x2160:

• Low: 73 FPS average
• Medium: 52 FPS average, 44 FPS minimum, 59 FPS maximum
• High: 45 FPS average
• Ultra: 34 FPS average

The minimum frame times recorded for Medium settings show consistency at each resolution. At 1080p, the minimum of 93 FPS remains well above the threshold. At 1440p, the 68 FPS minimum stays playable, while at 4K the minimum of 44 FPS dips below 60 FPS, confirming the borderline nature of Medium settings at that resolution. The absence of minimum values for other presets suggests the data collection focused on Medium for frame time analysis, but the averages provide sufficient clarity for performance assessment.